BJP to establish legal cell in Bengal to aid qualified job seekers affected by unfair hiring practices

PM Modi ordered the West Bengal BJP to establish a legal cell to aid "genuine" teachers and candidates affected by the SSC scam. However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of "hatching the conspiracy" and "making false promises," claiming the BJP was involved in the court case that led to job cancellations. Modi said it's "Modi's guarantee" that the culprits involved in the scam will not be spared, while Banerjee alleged the BJP's involvement in the job losses. Despite the BJP's offer of legal help, Banerjee accused them of orchestrating the scam and failing to fulfill promises made in Tripura. The West Bengal government has announced salary payments for affected teachers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday directed the West Bengal BJP to establish a dedicated legal cell to assist ''genuine teachers and candidates'' affected by the SSC scam, eliciting a strong response from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who accused the saffron party of ''hatching the conspiracy'' to snatch away the jobs.

Addressing consecutive election rallies at Bardhaman-Durgapur, Krishnanagar, and Birbhm, the PM said it is ''Modi's guarantee'' that culprits involved in looting the people and destroying the future of Bengal's youths through various scams won't be spared.

Banerjee, while addressing an election rally at Purba Bardhaman, shot back at the PM and accused him of making ''false promises'' with an eye on elections and claimed the BJP too was part of the court case that led to the cancellation of the jobs.

The Calcutta High Court on April 22 ordered the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as ''null and void,'' ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it. Around 26,000 people have lost jobs following the court order.

In a bid to address grievances stemming from the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) scam, Modi assured support to affected people, particularly genuine candidates who lost jobs.

''The corruption witnessed in school recruitment under the TMC's watch is deplorable. Numerous deserving and genuine candidates have suffered due to this scam. I have asked the Bengal BJP unit to create a separate legal cell and social media platform to provide help to genuine candidates and teachers. No matter even if the elections are on, the party would extend all help to the genuine candidates,'' he said.

Modi emphasised the need to differentiate between those responsible for corruption and innocent victims, vowing to hold wrongdoers accountable while safeguarding the interests of the innocent.

''Today, I guarantee to the youth of Bengal that Modi will not let those who have made the youth of Bengal cry sit in peace. This is Modi's guarantee that the culprits involved in looting the people of the state through various scams won't be spared,'' he said.

Accusing the TMC of jeopardising the future of youths by orchestrating a mega scam in teacher recruitment, he said, ''Although we want those involved in corruption to be punished, the innocent should not suffer.'' ''BJP will support such honest candidates and will provide them legal help and will fight for them. This is Modi's guarantee,'' he said.

Referring to crores of rupees recovered from the residence of an associate of now arrested TMC leader and former education minister Partha Chatterjee, the Prime Minister said, ''Even the note counting machines got tired while counting such a huge amount of cash.'' Reacting to the PM's remark, Banerjee accused the BJP of hypocrisy, alleging that it was the saffron party's conspiracy that led to so many people losing jobs.

''The BJP snatched away the jobs of school teachers in West Bengal. They had hatched a conspiracy to take away those jobs. The party is now saying they will help those who lost their jobs. Now because of elections, the Prime Minister is making such remarks. It is the BJP which was part of the court case that took away the jobs. Now they are making false promises,'' the TMC supremo said.

The TMC boss also said the BJP had made similar promises in Tripura before coming to power in 2018, which are yet to be fulfilled.

''It had said the same thing before coming to power in Tripura when 10,000 jobs were taken away during CPI (M) rule in the state. Have those jobs been reinstated by the BJP after coming to power there'', she asked.

Following the court order, the Chief Minister had alleged that the order was ''passed as per the BJP's instructions amid the elections''.

Banerjee had said the state government and the party would stand by those who lost their jobs and would appeal in the Supreme Court against the order.

The West Bengal government last week had said it would pay April salaries to 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff in state government-sponsored and aided schools whose appointments were cancelled by a Calcutta High Court order.

The state government, which has moved the Supreme Court challenging the order, is also mulling paying salaries to the teachers and non-teaching staff until the apex court gives its verdict, an official had said.